The Idea Fund Round 12 (2020)

Ends on
November 4, 2019

The deadline for The Idea Fund Round 12 application is MONDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2019.

What types of projects will be funded?
The Idea Fund is committed to new, risk-taking forms that help to define new practices in contemporary art. A panel of professionals will select between 12-15 projects submitted by individual artists, curators, performers, collectives or collaboratives that must be completed by December 31, 2020.

Who can apply?
The Idea Fund supports individual artists, curators, collectives, collaboratives or partnerships. If applying as a group, the artistic group can be long-standing or created specifically for this project; however, the lead member of the group must be living and working in the Greater Houston Area in one of the eligible counties: Harris, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Chambers, Liberty, or Montgomery.

Review Process and Selection Criteria
All proposals are evaluated based on the following criteria:
The artistic and creative strength of the proposed project
The overall vision of the applicant(s)
The capacity of the applicant(s) to realize the project
The accessibility of the resulting project to the public
The project’s demonstration of community support and commitment to serving a local constituency

*Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of jurors composed of artists and arts professionals.

What kind of projects are eligible for funding?
The work of an individual artist, collective or temporary association of artists
A project of a temporary or permanent artist run space
Curatorial projects that focus on unconventional artistic practice
An exhibition that has a strong public component (i.e., projects which involve the public via process, production, or presentation)
Publications of creative writing, including printed matter, and online publications
A public event, performance, or intervention
A screening, lecture or workshop series
A temporary public art project
Site-specific installations
Web-based projects
Audio, video and photo projects
Interdisciplinary, emerging fields and new media projects

Applicants must state how their project is related to the visual arts.

What kind of projects will not be funded?
Projects proposed by a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Projects in which the lead artist lives outside of Houston
Projects in which all artists reside outside of Houston
Projects that do not have a public component (i.e., projects which do not involve the public via process, production, or presentation)
Projects that are not accessible and presented to the public
Projects that do not exemplify innovative practices in contemporary art